The restaurant and hospitality community rallied around one of its own Sunday with what else but food.

A stew of smells filled 3015 at Trinity Groves during a benefit to help a culinary assistant pay for a bone-marrow transplant.

Chefs, food suppliers and event organizers came together in West Dallas for the fundraiser for Ulysses Galvan, who has battled leukemia for five years and has been treated at Parkland Memorial Hospital for the last 12 days.

More than 20 chefs, many of whom have worked with Galvan, cooked up bite-sized concoctions at kitchen stations lining the walls. Stampede 66, Smoke and Ten Bells Tavern were among the Dallas restaurants that participated.

Guests paid $50 to get in and donated a bottle of wine to help stock the bar.

About 325 people attended the event, which raised about $20,000 for Galvan, 34.

Galvan is currently sedated in order to let antibiotics better fight a lung infection, said chocolatier Katherine Clapner of Dude, Sweet Chocolate. His transplant has not yet been scheduled.

Galvan has assisted Clapner for about 15 years.

When she found out that the cost of a bone-marrow transplant would be only partially covered by Galvan’s insurance, Clapner said she knew she needed to do something to help.

She teamed with Lisa Moore from Fluent to organize the chef mix.

The bone marrow will come from the youngest of Galvan’s sons, Dallas, who turned 2 on Sunday. When the boy showed up at the event with his uncle and two siblings, Clapner celebrated with a birthday cake.

She said aside from helping financially, she hoped the event would help Galvan see how many lives he’s touched in Dallas.

“When you’re in the hospital with your family, you’re very detached,” Clapner said. “It’s going to be great for him to see the video of this and reconnect him with this community. That means a lot — for them to not feel alone.”

Sharon Van Meter, president of SVM Productions, offered the building to be used for the fundraiser, which provided an open area for people to grab a bite to eat, mingle at tables and bid on silent auction items.

“It’s not a matter of donating the space,” Van Meter said. “I don’t even know this man, but in our family we’re the first to jump in and help. There’s just no question.”

Attendee Laura Williamson was also happy to do her part to help.

“Who loses? You give money to help him and his family through this and it feels good. This is just an added bonus,” Williamson said, pointing to the sauteed radishes she was sampling. “I’m very impressed with all the chefs who came out and participated. It’s such a brotherhood.”

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